Waterproofing of chrome-tanned leather.



1 Britain and Ireland, and a resident of 643 To all whom it may concern:

UNITED s'rA'r s PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD WRIGHT TERRY, OF HAWTHORN, VICTORIA AUSTRALIA.

WATERYBOOFING 0F CHROME-TANNED LEATHEB.

3570 Drawing.

Be it known that I, EDwAin) VVRIGHII TERRY, a subject of the King of Great Bur-wood road, Upper Hawthorn, in the city of Hawthorn, a suburb of the city of Melbourne, in the county.of Bourke, State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to the Vaterproofing of Chrome-Tanned Leathers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the treatment of chrome tanned leather with the object of making it waterproof and thereby preserving the material in such a manner as to lengthen its life, withoutsubjecting it to severe conditions during treatment.

It has hitherto been proposed to heat leather with a solution or composition .of resin and tallow to obtain the above objects. The present invention also utilizes these ingredients, but it is to be understood that no claim is made to the use of the ingredients themselves, the invention residing in the -manner of using them as hereinafter described.

The inventionconsists in placing the tallow in a vessel or vat which is heated by steam or any other suitable medium to yatemperature of approximately 160 degrees Fahrenheit; or upward from 160 degrees Fahrenheit to such a heat that will not damage the fibers of the leather. In this respect from 160 degrees Fahrenheit to 170 degrees Fahrenheit is found to be the most suitable. IV hen the tallow has been heated to the temperature mentioned the resin is added to it. The resin may be in the powdered or granular form or in the lump state but'preferably it is in the granular condition and is distributed broadcast into the tallow ant. thoroughly stirred or mixed therein by any suitable means or apparatus. The mixing of the tallow and resin is continued until the resin is completely dissolved and the two become a homogeneous mass. The addition of the resin to some extent reduces the tern-- perature, which during the mixing operation is again brought to the temperature previously existing, being from. 160 degrees to 170 degrees Fahrenheit (more or less).

IVhen the temperature has reached the re-,

Specification of Letters Patent. Pat t d De 15 1.914, Application filed July 17,1912. Serial' No. 710,031.. I I I 'tain the heat therein. Tl' e'chrome tanned minutes (more .or less) dependentupon the class of hide beingtreated, or the condltions under which the prepared leather is to be used. If theleather islrequired to' be particularly flexible 'and'i s consequently comparatively. thin, shorter period of immersion is necessaryythan would be the case if a harder or thicker leather is being treated. Provision may alsobe made for agitate ing the leather or the mixture or both, or for suspending the leather in the solution. After immersion for, thedesired period the leather is taken out andspread upon a table whichis heated by steam or any other suitable means. Preferably. the table may have a .double top which provides a steam space through which steam passes and heats the table. The object of having the table hot is to prevent the solution on the outside oi the leather from setting or becoming fixed. The hide is then cleansed by means of hard brushes which are dipped in hot tallow and rubbed over first one side and then. the other of the leather in'order to remove any superfluous compound that has not been absorbed by the leather., The leather is next taken to a second table. Itis not essential that this table should be hot, although under some conditions it'may be advisable to have it warm. While on this table the leather is well rubbed with a fabric-or sponge damped with kerosene, in order that it may be further cleansed of any superfluous deposit. The leather is then dried by exposure to the air or by artificial means, after which it is ready for use.

' The proportion of the tallow used in the above process or method of treatment to the proportion of resin employed, varies accordingly to the quality of the chrome tanned leather being treated and depends upon the use to which the product is to be put. In ordinary cases for, uppers for hm ts and shoes or even for soles of the same to it'orty (40) pounds. I wish it to be understood at the same time that experiments LQf mmme I have disclosed to me that one pert of tallow to .three parts of resin will give every satisiactlon', yet under some COIIClllZlOIlS the same result; may be obtained by using up to one what I chum as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1sz-- A. process for waterproofing chrome tanned leather Whieh consists in immersing the leather for epproxlmetely one hour in a closed vet eonteining a. homogenons mass of mixed resih and tallow heated to approximetely 170? Fri, then-xfemeving the leather from the .vatemf epleaclingfthe same upon" 2 heated suiface to prevent the mixture of resin and tallow irom se' tting then remov-. mg the surplus mlmbure'pf tallow end res1n from the surface of the leather, and then drying the leather,

in testimony whereof {I afilx my signature '2 in presence 03% two wlbnesees.

EDWARD "WRIGHT TERRY. Witnesses: 1 I

Gees]; M. P. Smsmeen, Gimme A. MGREK, 

